Last summer, I received an unexpected and very special gift from a friend in Taiwan. It was a small quantity of lotus oil absolute; this was a novelty to me and I was intrigued. The botanical name for the sacred lotus is Nelumbo nucifera, the name Nelumbo deriving from the Tamil, and nucifera from the Latin, meaning ‘nut bearing’. It is also known under several different Sanskrit names, mainly padma, kamala or pushkara.

       Nelumbo nucifera belongs to the Nymphaeaceae family and originates from Persia, Asia and Oceania, but nowadays is widely cultivated in Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, and even Africa. The lotus plant is a fully edible food and is widely used in Oriental medicine. Flowers come in pink, yellow or white, with many folds - some are said to have over a hundred petals!

       Nelumbo nucifera is considered to be one of the most ancient plants in existence, over 2,000 years old. Evolutionary biologist Jane Shen-Miller of the University of California, found that lotus seeds nearly 500 years old were still able to germinate and flourish after such a long time. Furthermore, even though the radioactivity of the soil from which the seeds were excavated resulted in minor abnormalities in the growth, that the lotus is able to withstand this has interesting implications. Shen-Miller reported:

‘The lotus is so robust that it can sprout after centuries of exposure to low-dose gamma radiation. We need to learn about its repair mechanisms, and about its biochemical,         physiological and molecular properties. The repair mechanisms in the lotus would be very useful if they could be transferred to crops, such as rice, corn and wheat, whose seeds   have life spans of only a few years.’ (Cf. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-02/uoc--cls022102.php)                                                                                                  

The Lotus Flower and its Symbolic Place

        The lotus was of great significance to many ancient cultures,      

and in particular to the Eastern religions. From ancestral times,

the lotus regularly appears as a symbol of purity, peace,

transcendence, enlightenment, rebirth, beauty, and fertility.
In India, the lotus flower is considered to be of divine origin and

is viewed as sacred by both Hindus and Buddhists. Buddha was

said to sleep on a lotus six months of the year, and Shambala

(Buddhist heaven) is sometimes represented as a field of

flowering sacred lotuses. 

        The idea of enlightenment is symbolised by the life cycle of

the sacred lotus plant because it begins its life humbly in the mud

of ponds but soon grows and sends stems and flowers well above

the surface of the water (up to 50cm), thus showing the path of spiritual enfoldment.
It also has unusual flowering habits; its flowers ‘wake up’ (open) at dawn and go to sleep (close) at about 2pm. Some lotuses are even known to open up at night and close during the day, ignoring the normal sunlight hours favoured by the majority of flowering plants, and effectively transcending normal time cycles.

Indian mythology

Egyptian Mythology

        This account would not be complete without a mention of the Egyptian

blue lotus, often found depicted on the walls of chambers or temples of

ancient Egypt. The blue lotus of Egypt, Nymphaea caerulea, is a member of the Nymphaea family (i.e. waterlilies), which is a ‘cousin’ of Nelumbo nucifera. Certainly, the ancient Egyptians called it a ‘lotus’, and it does hold a similar divine status to the sacred lotus flower itself.
Ancient Egyptian mythology tells a story that shows many parallels with the Indian tradition; they speak of the end of days, before the beginning of days, when a giant blue lotus rose from the abyss of the primordial waters, and as its flower opened it revealed a new child god, born to restore the Light and banish Darkness. The blue lotus is said to have been used to invoke Isis, Osiris, and Thoth.
One of the Sun gods, Nefertem, also god of the primeval lotus blossom, patron of healing, perfumes, and cosmetics, is usually depicted with a crown of blue lotuses around his head. Some say that his special healing power works through the healing power of flowers.

An Olfactory ‘Reverie’

        As this was the first time that I was able to smell lotus flower oil, I was very excited. True lotus oil is very difficult to come by because the actual yield of essential oil from lotus flower is very small. A word of CAUTION: although the Internet seems to be full of sites selling lotus oil, there is no real guaranty that the oil will be genuine.

    Bearing in mind the divine status that the sacred lotus holds in the world of religious mythology, I decided to explore what magic its mysterious fragrance may have on me. Sitting in the lotus position, a suitable posture for the occasion, I repeatedly inhaled the vapours of lotus oil and entered into a state of deep meditation, wondering if I was about to be zapped into instant enlightenment. Sorry, no such luck!

The scent of lotus has a rich, intoxicating quality that evoked the warm, misty, and

    voluptuous atmosphere of tropical forests or gardens. It seemed  to

   carry me away to an exotic land of sunshine and brought back

   memories of other scent impressions from Eastern delights, such as

   the exquisite tuberose (polianthes tuberosa), the ginger lily flower

  (Hedychium coranarium), the gardenia (gardenia jasminoides), or even

  the much richer, heavier scents of kewda (Pandanus odoratissimus) or

  champaca (Michelia champaca).

  Scent sensations gathered in my head and I soon reached the edge of

  somnolence. All became hazy as the scent of lotus pursued its journey

  around my mind and into my senses, enticing me into inner regions of sensuous awareness, where all my senses joined together to summon up experiences and imagery of places past.

Yes, I was in another world, in another place in time. I could see why so many were attracted not only to the beauty of its flowers but also to its hypnotic effect on the senses, as it lifted my spirit and transported me beyond the realm of everyday worries.

Sometime later when I resumed ordinary consciousness, my mood had altered to a more mellow and benign state, and the beautiful scent of lotus oil had sent me on my way to seek new dreams.

My investigation into the spiritual merits of the sacred lotus oil has left me with a feeling of     renewed hope and peace for humanity and the planet.                     

Uses

Because of its purifying and protective virtues, the lotus oil has a lot to offer to the ‘ever-giving’ therapist.

Lotus can be added to an aromatic bath or a massage blend, or diffused in the air as a way to recharge energies and clear away unwanted thoughts.

As lotus oil is very intense, it is at its best when diluted or blended with lighter essential oils.

Making Scented Water Mist:

Take a plant spray container, fill it with water and add 2 drops of lotus oil, 1 drop of neroli, 1 drop of tuberose, and spray in the air regularly; as well as gently perfuming the room, this will keep the air humidified (protect all electronic appliances and computers!).

Aromatic Bath and Massage Blend:

Choosing a special carrier oil for the occasion, perhaps Camellia oil or macerated lime flower oil, I personally find Camellia oil (Camellia oleifera or sesanqua) as it softens the skin and protects it from effects of the weather. It is also said to offer protection from harmful UV rays.

Add 5 drops of lotus oil, 5 drops of neroli, and 2 drops of frankincense (Oman) to 50 mls of Camellia oil.

Self-care

Light candles in your bathroom and put dried flower petals of rose, chamomile, and lime blossom into your bath (obtained from herbalist shops) and put on   soft music, Apply the massage oil to yourself and sit in the bath for as long as you feel like,       shutting the world out.